Lauren Katie Christina Barcelona!

Ok Barcelona made me realize how much I really don't like Denmark. Don't get me wrong. I love my program and the people in it. I love the international experience I've been able to have, but this constant cold, dreary weather is just depressing. I thought it'd be better when we got back. It is April now, but nope... 40 degrees and windy mist...lovely.

Back to Barcelona. We arrived in Barcelona at 1 am on Friday night/Saturday morning. I admit I had a bad feeling walking to our hostel. You could just tell people were getting pick pocketed left and right. Fortunately, we made it out of Barcelona with nothing lost or stolen.

Saturday, we woke up and walked to the beach. The Mediterranean is beautiful, and the beach itself was actually quite rocky, instead of sea shelly. Then, we went on a Gaudi walking tour to see some of his work around the city. I've never been around this many Americans since I've been in Europe! I even met a small group from UT that was studying in Seville, Spain, further south. The tour was great, but I did not wear the right shoes and paid for it the rest of the trip. Poor blistered feet.

We spent the evening people watching on Las Ramblas street with 2 massive pitchers of Sangria. We are convinced they spike their Sangria in Spain. Once we tasted coconut rum in it, and the other time it was definitely vodka. But that didn't stop us from conquering Park Guell the next day. This was a massive place filled with beautiful landscape at the top of a mountain. We walked all over that place. It was the strangest thing too. They have escalators on the side of the mountain to get to it.

This picture may look familiar to those who watch America's Next Top Model. They filmed a runway show on the season with Melrose and CariDee. So, of course when we got there we strutted our own runway walks. We ended the day with dinner on the beach. It was such a good meal, but sooo big. We did it because there was a special. 15 Euro for bread, appetizer, main dish, dessert and wine. After all that walking at Park Guell we'd worked up enough of an appetite.

Later, we picked up a cheap jug of Sangria and went to hang out at the hostel with our new friends from Virginia, Pennsylvania, France, Ireland, Sardinia, and Albania... and one crazy obnoxious drunk opera singing gay guy that we've all determined is insane. This guy was from Jersey in all of its stereotypical glory. He'd been mugged earlier and was having to get his passport expedited, but he dealt with his sadness by drinking. He had to have been drinking all day. Turns out he was in the room next to us because he was shouting out things to himself all night long. It was so strange. Minus this guy, the last night was really fun. The guy from Sardinia even offered to be a guide as well as offered up his couch if we were ever planning on making a trip out there. If I don't run out of money, we may go! Or at least we have his email for the future.

Now it is time to start planning for my Easter break trip with Katie and Nicole to the Greek Isles. I think we will be going to Kos, Rhodes, Santorini, and maybe Crete. Less than 2 weeks away!!